Pennsylvania must fully fund its public defenders

Act Now

A full and fairly funded network of public defender offices and conflict counsel is the only way to make sure that every Pennsylvanian has a fair chance to navigate the criminal legal system. Today, Pennsylvania's failure to adequately fund its public defenders and conflict counsel leaves indigent defense attorneys with unmanageably high caseloads. As a result, each year, tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who can't afford to pay for a lawyer are left without effective defense counsel every year.

This failure isn't just immoral, it's unconstitutional.

Contact your members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Scott Martin and demand that the commonwealth fully fund its public defenders and conflict counsel.

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The right to counsel is a bedrock of our criminal legal system and serves as one of the "essential barriers against arbitrary or unjust deprivation of human rights," according to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. This right isn’t just a guarantee of a lawyer in court. It is the right to an attorney who has the time and resources to provide a vigorous defense on behalf of their client, especially those unable to pay for a private attorney.

Despite this constitutional right, Pennsylvania consistently fails to adequately fund public defenders and indigent defense.

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Will you commit to working to pass legislation that will help realize the constitutional promise of the right to counsel by mandating full and adequate funding of public defenders across the commonwealth?

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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Pennsylvania must fully fund its public defenders

Act Now

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